Oreads are humans whose ancestry includes the touch of an elemental being of earth somewhere along the line, often that of a shaitangenie. Stoic and contemplative, oreads are a race not easily moved, yet almost unstoppable when spurred to action. They remain a mystery to most of the world thanks to their reclusive nature, but those who seek them out in their secluded mountain hideaways find oreads to be quiet, dependable, and protective of their friends.

Physical Description: Oreads are strong and solidly built, with skin and hair colored stony shades of black, brown, gray, or white. While all oreads appear vaguely earthy, a few bear more pronounced signs of their elemental heritage—skin that shines like polished onyx, rocky outcroppings protruding from their flesh, glowing gemstones for eyes, or hair like crystalline spikes. They often dress in earthy tones, wearing practical clothing well suited to vigorous physical activity and preferring fresh flowers, simple gemstones, and other natural accents to complex manufactured jewelry.

Society: As a minor offshoot of the human race, oreads have no real established society of their own. Instead, most oreads grow up in human communities learning the customs of their parents. Adult oreads have a well-deserved reputation among other races for being hermits and loners. Few take well to the bustle of city life, preferring instead to spend their days in quiet contemplation atop some remote mountain peak or deep below the earth in a secluded cavern. Oreads with a greater tolerance for life among humans often join the city watch, or find some other way to serve their community in a position of responsibility.

Relations: Oreads feel comfortable in the company of dwarves, with whom they have much in common. They find gnomes too strange and many halflings far too brash, and so avoid these races in general. Oreads gladly associate with half-orcs and half-elves, feeling a sense of kinship with the other part-human races despite inevitable personality conflicts. Among the elemental-touched races, oreads have few friends but no true enemies.

Alignment and Religion: Oreads are, perhaps above all else, set in their ways, and any disruption of their routine is met with quiet disapproval. Oreads are fiercely protective of their friends, but don't seem particularly concerned with the well-being of those outside their small circle of acquaintances. As such, most oreads are lawful neutral. Religious life comes easily to the earth-touched. They appreciate the quiet, contemplative life of the monastic order, and most dedicate themselves to the worship of earth- or nature-related deities.

Adventurers: Oreads are initially hesitant adventurers. They dislike leaving their homes and don't handle the shock of new experiences well. Usually it takes some outside force to rouse oreads into action, often by threatening their homes, lives, or friends. Once the initial threat is dealt with, however, oreads often find they've grown accustomed to the adventuring life, and continue to pursue it through the rest of their days. Oreads make good monks and fighters thanks to their prodigious strength and self-discipline.

Standard Racial Traits

Size: Oreads are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Speed (Slow): Oreads have a base speed of 20 feet.

Languages: Oreads begin play speaking Common and Terran. Oreads with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aquan, Auran, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Ignan, and Undercommon. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

Alternate Racial Traits

The following alternate racial traits may be selected in place of one or more of the standard racial traits above. Consult your GM before selecting any of these new options.

Crystalline Form Oreads with this trait gain a +2 racial bonus to AC against rays thanks to their reflective crystalline skin. In addition, once per day, they can deflect a single ray attack targeted at them as if they were using the Deflect Arrows feat. This racial trait replaces earth affinity.

Earth Insight Oread spellcasters sometimes find that their elemental heritage makes creatures of earth more willing to serve them. Summon monster and summon nature's ally spells that such oreads cast last 2 rounds longer than normal when used to summon creatures with the earth subtype. This racial trait replaces earth affinity.

Ferrous Growth Oreads with this racial trait learn how to mimic the magic of their shaitan ancestors. Once per day, such an oread can cause a touched piece of non-magical iron or steel to grow into an object up to 10 pounds in weight, such as a sword, crowbar, or light steel shield. This object remains in this form for 10 minutes or until broken or destroyed, at which point it shrinks back to its original size and shape. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.

Isolated: Many oreads are loners and raise their families in isolated groups, either in deep caverns or high mountains. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks and Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks, and they can use Knowledge (dungeoneering) untrained. They begin play speaking only Terran, rather than Common and Terran. This racial trait replaces energy resistance and alters the oread's starting languages. SourcePCS:ISR

Mountain-Born Oreads are drawn to mountains and other high places, and after many generations they've grown well suited to their environment. Oreads with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to cross narrow ledges and on saves against altitude fatigue and sickness. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.

Mostly Human: A few oreads have appearances much closer to those of their human ancestors; in fact, they may not even realize their true race. Such geniekin appear to be human, save perhaps minor features like unusual eye color, and they count as humanoid (human) as well as outsider (native) for all purposes (such as humanoid-affecting spells such as charm person or enlarge person). These geniekin do not automatically gain their associated elemental language (but may select it as a bonus language if their Intelligence is high enough). This ability alters the geniekin's type, subtype, and languages. SourcePCS:ISR

Oread Gem Magic (1 RP) Oreads' proclivity for long spans of study and concentration makes them natural wizards, witches, and oracles. Oreads with this racial trait can augment their earth-related spells and spell-like abilities through the use of precious and semiprecious gemstones as additional material components (see Table: Oread Gem Magic below). The gems are destroyed in the process, granting the spell the listed effects in addition to its normal effects unless otherwise noted. Only one instance of oread gem magic can be applied to a spell at a time; excess expended gems do not stack. This racial trait replaces the earth affinity racial trait. Source: PPC:BotE

Stone in the Blood Oreads with this racial trait mimic the healing abilities of the mephits, gaining fast healing 2 for 1 round anytime they are subject to acid damage (the acid damage does not need to overcome the oread's resistances or immunities to activate this ability). The oread can heal up to 2 hit points per level per day with this ability, after which it ceases to function. This racial trait replaces earth affinity.

Treacherous Earth Once per day, an oread with this racial trait can will the earth to rumble and shift, transforming a 10-foot-radius patch of earth, unworked stone, or sand into an area of difficult terrain, centered on an area the oread touches. This lasts for a number of minutes equal to the oread's level, after which the ground returns to normal. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.

The cost of this spell's expensive material component can be reduced or increased to affect the spell's power accordingly. With reduced components, the spell grants DR 10/silver (instead of adamantine); with increased components, the spell absorbs 15 points of damage per caster level before it's discharged

Favored Class Options

The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

Bard Add +5 feet to the range of one of the bard's bardic performances (max +30 feet to any one performance).

Cleric Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (planes) checks relating to the Plane of Earth and creatures with the earth subtype.